19 December 2019

LGNZ broadly supports the Road to Zero Safety Strategy, saying that its success will depend on government and NZTA improving their relationships with local communities, who directly fund this core infrastructure through fuel taxes and rates.

18 December 2019

LGNZ President Dave Cull says that Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton is on the money with his new report warning that domestic and international tourists are putting too much pressure on our environment.

12 December 2019

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is lamenting the lack of courage shown in the Productivity Commission’s Local Government Funding Report, saying that while it makes many worthy recommendations, its play-it-safe-approach relegates the report to a mere repeat of the nine rates reviews that have preceded it since 1945.

10 December 2019

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) extends it condolences to those adversely affected by the recent heavy rains and flooding, saying it highlights the urgent need for councils and central government to ramp up investment in New Zealand’s river management and flood protection schemes.

27 November 2019

LGNZ is welcoming the Government’s plan to increase funding for onshore recycling and to reduce the amount of landfilled waste, saying it is a vital part of the wider system change needed to improve New Zealand’s waste management.

31 October 2019

LGNZ today submitted its package of recommendations to central government on how to shape up the Essential Freshwater Package into a fit for purpose regulatory package that will deliver the public’s expectations of sustainable, swimmable, healthy waterways.

30 October 2019

Manawatū District Council has today received their first CouncilMARK™ report, which shows a rural council tackling the challenges of a growing population and changing environmental and regulatory landscapes.

25 October 2019

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is congratulating the best and brightest vocational students who are graduating over the next two months as part of a jointly run programme between the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) and the Industry Training Federation (ITF).

12 October 2019

New Zealand’s mayoral ranks received a boost from women and candidates under 40 years of age in the 2019 local body elections, according to Local Government New Zealand’s analysis of the preliminary results.

1 October 2019

Local Government New Zealand is urging anyone who hasn’t received voting papers in the mail to pop into their local council office or contact their local electoral officer to make a special vote in their local elections.

25 September 2019

Local election voting packs are arriving with enrolled voters, and to make sure you have your say, Local Government New Zealand is urging people to post their papers on Vote Day – Saturday 5 October 2019.

20 September 2019

Voting in the 2019 local government elections is an opportunity to shape the future of New Zealand and people can expect to receive their voting papers from today says LGNZ Chief Executive Malcolm Alexander.

10 September 2019

Local Government New Zealand’s Regional Sector Water Subgroup is proactively releasing a report assessing some of the potential impacts from the reforms proposed under the Essential Freshwater Package, noting that the research needs to be carefully used and considered.

5 September 2019

LGNZ has welcomed the launch of the Essential Freshwater package as an important step to cleaning up the country’s waterways, but says more work is needed to ensure that the Government right-sizes the package to take communities with them.

2 September 2019

A hui being held tomorrow will see the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ), local and central government, iwi, business, community and philanthropy groups explore how more people can gain the benefits of a driver licence.

30 August 2019

With just six weeks until the final day of voting, the 2019 New Zealand Local Elections are shaping up to be hugely competitive with more than two candidates standing for every council seat on offer across the country (2,076 candidates standing for the 889 seats).

29 August 2019

LGNZ is equipping councils with another key policy tool to help them gear their communities up for the impact of climate change with the release of the Exposed: Climate change and infrastructure guidance document.

21 August 2019

LGNZ will carefully consider the proposed National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD) to assess if it meets the Government’s aim of enabling urban development or simply adds more red tape to the planning process.

20 August 2019

LGNZ welcome The New Zealand’s Initiative’s ‘Living after midnight’ report as an important step to advance the debate around how councils protect their communities, but also allow the night-time economy to thrive.

14 August 2019

LGNZ will be cautiously assessing the wider implications of the newly proposed National Position Statement on Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL), noting that that it traverses a number of highly complex policy areas including housing affordability and property rights.

9 August 2019

The launch of a public consultation by the Ministry for the Environment to identify products that should be included in product stewardship schemes is being welcomed by LGNZ, who say that it’s time for a mandatory scheme to incentivise waste minimisation and diversion from landfill.

1 August 2019

LGNZ is disappointed central government has opted for the harshest medicine to help a minority of ailing polytechs by creating an untested and uncosted mega-institute to run all vocational training in New Zealand.

31 July 2019

LGNZ welcomes the establishment of a drinking water regulator, a move councils have long been calling for, and commends central government for strengthening its long-neglected stewardship role in the provision of safe drinking water.

22 July 2019

School Strike 4 Climate NZ organisers Sophie Handford and Raven Maeder delivered a clear message to over 600 local government mayors, chairs, chief executives and councillors at the recent LGNZ conference: make climate change a priority.

7 July 2019

Over 600 local and central government delegates, including the Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, were on hand to hear LGNZ president Dave Cull launch a roadmap to greater localism – ‘Reinvigorating Democracy: The case for localising power and decision making to councils and communities,’ at the opening of the LGNZ Conference in Wellington this afternoon.

5 June 2019

The high levels of service local councils provide to communities across New Zealand are again demonstrated through the exceptional range and standard of finalists in the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) EXCELLENCE Awards.

31 May 2019

LGNZ welcomes a budgetary focus on well-being, which provides support for local government’s newly reinstated four well-beings, and a programme of work that promises a more equitable regional transition to a cleaner, greener future.

29 May 2019

A newly announced urban development authority - Kāinga Ora–Homes and Communities – has the potential to address our housing crisis, but shouldn’t put regional New Zealand in its blind spot says LGNZ President Dave Cull.

23 May 2019

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) has signed up a number of major partners in the Vote 2019 campaign to lift nationwide voter turnout in local elections and increase people’s engagement with their local council.

8 May 2019

Local Government New Zealand is delighted to see the Local Government (Community Well-being) Amendment Bill pass its third and final reading in Parliament last night, effectively reinstating the four aspects of community well-being – social, economic, environmental and cultural – into the Local Government Act.

1 May 2019

LGNZ has started a conversation on social media with New Zealanders through its Vote 2019 campaign, aiming to raise important issues around housing, transport, water, tourism, business and economic development and local amenities and services.

18 April 2019

The latest report providing metrics on the state of New Zealand’s environment is being welcomed by LGNZ’s Regional Sector as a way for councils to focus their efforts where it can make the biggest difference.

14 March 2019

Local Government New Zealand is calling on the government to ensure that the internal issues at the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) are fixed soon. The current state of affairs is stalling housing developments and regional economies through the Agency’s seeming inability to progress vital roading projects.

13 March 2019

Local Government New Zealand is disappointed by the Government’s blanket decision to not renew the Special Housing Area (SHA) legislation, saying the policy needed refinement not a red line through it.

13 March 2019

The Independent Assessment Board which oversees CouncilMARK™, the local government excellence programme, has today awarded Hauraki District Council with an A rating, citing stand out performance in governance, strategy and engagement with the community.

8 March 2019

A report released today by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) provides strong support for the recommendations given by LGNZ’s recent report Vulnerable, which identified as much as $14 billion of local government infrastructure is exposed to sea level rise.

8 March 2019

The announcement of a referendum to gauge public support for a Queenstown visitor levy is welcomed by LGNZ, who noted the town’s exceptional challenges, where a population of 28,000 people provide infrastructure for over three million visitors a year.

5 March 2019

A CouncilMARK™ report issued for New Plymouth District Council says that while the region has experienced relative prosperity and growth, changes to the economy of New Zealand’s ‘energy capital’ may present challenges.

26 February 2019

Dunedin City Council is the latest local authority to receive a CouncilMARK™ report from the programme’s Independent Assessment Board (IAB), which has identified an organisation that has overcome legacy financial issues to achieve an A-rating.

22 February 2019

Local Government New Zealand welcomes plans to form The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga, and supports its aim to deliver long term strategy and coordination of infrastructure planning.

14 February 2019

A number of iconic heritage buildings will benefit from the Government’s announcement of a revamped Heritage EQUIP programme, helping to breathe life into regional town centres across New Zealand, says LGNZ President Dave Cull.

31 January 2019

As much as $14 billion of local government infrastructure is at risk from sea level rise, according a new LGNZ report, which calls on central government to urgently develop policies to help minimise the impact of climate change on New Zealand’s communities.